One
by Yoru no Kuronue
Summary: Malik abuses Marik, then realizes he loves him. But the harsh reality of who they are is inescapable. Song by Hooverphonic.


Disclaimer: I don't own the song or the characters. The song is "One" by Hooverphonic. They are amazing.

Yoru: If you hear the song, it sounds just like a Yami/Hikari relationship. It's on the CD 'Hooverphonic presents Jackie Cane'.

Kuronue: Available from Sony records.

Yoru: This fic involves not-particularly-graphic physical abuse and shounen-ai. Don't like don't read and all that jazz. This isn't your typical abuse fic, I don't think.

You're in charge 

_You always were_

_There's no denying_

_Fire burns_

Marik walked in the pouring rain, soaked to the skin. He stared at his new bruises numbly. He couldn't feel anymore.

Flashback

"You're so stupid!" Malik shouted, slamming Marik into the wall. Marik only stared back. This had been going on too long for him to care anymore.

"You think I'm going to condone this relationship any longer? You're MINE!" Malik slammed Marik back again for emphasis, but Marik still barely flinched.

He had gone on three dates with Ryuoji. Three. He had just returned from the third. Ryuoji had kissed him outside on the porch. Malik had seen it. Now Marik was paying for it.

Marik hadn't even wanted the kiss. He didn't have any interest in Ryuoji that way. But he needed to get away from Malik and having a date was a good way to do that. Now Malik was angry about it and didn't even care that Marik didn't like Ryuoji the same way that the rich boy liked him. Malik just wanted another excuse to beat Marik senseless.

"I'm not yours. I'm mine. I told you I didn't know he was going to…" This earned him a punch to the face that sent him to the ground. Malik grabbed his arms hard enough to bruise and pulled him up close.

"You. Are. Mine." With that, Malik pressed his lips to Marik's roughly, forcing his tongue in as Marik struggled against him. Marik wanted to bite, but he knew Malik would probably kill him if he did. Then again, would that be better?

No. Suicide was not the answer. All suicide could possibly be was withdrawal. And Marik would have no part in that. He tried to pull his face away, but Malik's lips had a firm grip on his own. Finally his darker half pulled away. Marik glared at him.

"You had no right to do that!"

"Did Ryuoji?" Malik hissed. Marik stared at him.

"Do you understand that when I looked out the window and saw him kissing you, to me it wasn't five seconds? It was an eternity, a forever of watching someone kissing what's mine."

"I'm not…" Marik said, with less conviction.

"Yes. You are mine and I am yours."

This scared Marik. He was even more shocked as Malik let him pull away and run outside.

End Flashback

Marik continued to walk, letting the rain pour down his face and ruin his hair. He didn't care. He was too shocked. What did Malik really want? Was this just another sick game?

Somehow, he didn't think so.

I took a lot 

_But now I'm gonna give_

_Back to you_

_Whatever I've got_

Malik watched out the window. He knew Marik would come back. The Hikari had no place to go. Except to Ryuoji's, and Malik knew he wouldn't go there. He'd come back here. He just needed to think.

Once Malik would have not let him go. He would have shoved him to the ground and beat him some more. Or, at this stage of their 'relationship', had his way with him. But somewhere in these six years, he had started feeling remorse when he gave Marik the bruises and the cuts. Even more so when he broke bones occasionally.

He'd stopped doing that.

He was even beating Marik less often because it hurt him, too.

But tonight had been the last straw. That Ryuoji boy had no right to have his hands on Malik's Hikari. Malik could tell that Marik didn't love the other boy, but he had let him kiss him…it had hurt Malik more than anything to see that. To see someone else's lips pressed against Marik's lovely ones. Marik was a defiled creature, an angel chained to the earth. Chained to this life.

Chained to Malik.

Forever.

The Pharaoh had tried to separate them, and even Marik himself had attempted it. But they were linked because they were one person, and yet two separate entities.

That was why Malik knew it was all right to love his Hikari. Because they were two as well as one.

He hoped Marik came back soon.

Marik clenched his fists. He had to go home. He was going to catch a cold out here in the rain. And when he got home…

He was going to beat the hell out of Malik until he felt better. Then they could talk or Malik could beat him back or something. Anything. Whatever.

He turned around and headed home.

'Cause we are one 

_And we'll always be_

_You were born first_

_Forever connected to me_

Malik saw Marik coming. He opened the door and received a punch to the face. Startled, he fell backward onto the floor. Marik stood over him, soaked, fist clenched.

"You know, I thought I'd do that until I felt better. But one's enough." Marik went into the bathroom and grabbed a towel. Malik got up and followed, nursing his jaw.

"You hit me."

"Score one for the team." Marik started toweling his hair. Malik sat down hard on the toilet.

"Hit me."

"'Bout time somebody did." Marik started stripping off his wet clothes and toweling himself off. Malik didn't bother to turn away. It wasn't like he'd never seen Marik naked before.

"Hikari, we are one. You know this."

"Yeah." Marik went into his bedroom and pulled on some jeans. He sat on his bed. Malik had followed him, and leaned against the doorway.

"One."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I belong to you."

"Yes, it does. You belong to me and I belong to you. Two as one."

"IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY!" Marik yelled. Malik stopped, staring. Marik got to his feet angrily.

"I'M NOT YOURS TO BEAT UP ON AND INSULT AND ORDER AROUND! I'M NOT YOURS SO YOU CAN STOP ANY RELATIONSHIP I HAVE! I'M YOUR LIGHT SO YOU DON'T GO AROUND _KILLING PEOPLE_ ON A REGULAR BASIS!" Marik was shaking. Malik dropped his eyes.

"What am I to you, then? You never do anything to show that I am yours. I was just trying to claim you as mine," he said. Marik bit his lip. He didn't want to yell anymore.

"You're my hatred, my pain, and my rage. You're my night terrors and my disgust for the masses. That's why I can't stand you." Marik sat again, hard. He knew that would hurt Malik. But he couldn't care. Why would he care in the first place?

"But I love you."

"You can't love. All you are is the embodiment of all my dark."

"Then you are the embodiment of my light." Malik cocked his head. Marik looked up at him.

"Am I? Which one of us is the person? The personality? I don't know anymore."

"We have our own. Mine is dark. Yours is light…ish. We are both people and yet still embodiments of each other. You, as a lost boy, created me, and in turn I created the man that lost boy became. And I love that man." Malik came closer, sitting on the edge of the bed. Marik watched him carefully.

It's not always how 

_You want it to be_

_We had no choice_

_Oh desperately_

"You created me, then tried to destroy me."

"But I didn't. I was going to have us ruling together. I thought it would be easier to send you to the Shadow Realm first so you'd be out of the way, out of danger. It was quicker. But you didn't understand."

"You didn't try to explain," Marik mumbled.

"I know. I was in too much of a hurry." Malik sighed, "I was going to bring you back. That's why…when I saw you really were going to banish me forever…I started begging. But I panicked, and started babbling, and you still didn't understand. I love you."

"So you keep saying." Marik sighed too, and got up. He started to rummage for a shirt. Malik watched him, watched the moonlight shine on the skin that had been so close to never seeing the sun. If he hadn't come…who knew what Marik's fate would have been.

"You did save me. From my hellhole of a house, my devil of a father." Marik straightened, the shirt forgotten, "I can thank you for that."

"And that did not show you how much I cared?"

"Judging by the fact that you then tried to kill my brother? No."

"I was only trying to protect you. Trying to get rid of all in your way." Malik reached out and touched Marik's wrist. He felt Marik stiffen.

"Don't touch me."

"Marik…"

"I'm leaving. I don't know where I'm going. But I have to leave…for good. I can't live like this anymore, being one with you. Maybe we'll see each other again sometime."

The next morning, Marik was gone. Malik couldn't feel him. It was as if he had disappeared forever.

I had to leave 

_But now I'm coming back_

Years passed; how many Marik never knew. But some fate, or god, or twisted law of karma brought him back to Domino one day. He saw that it really hadn't changed much. Time had been good to it. He wondered if it had been good to all the people he knew here. If it had been good to…no. Don't think about him.

_We had to see_

_You're white and I'm black_

"Did you hear about the new guy in town?"

"Yeah, my wife won't shut up about him. 'So handsome!' 'Look at the way he walks!' 'I want to just run my fingers through that luscious platinum hair!'"

"She really said that?"

"No. But she's thinking it." The two men continued their conversation, but the one two seats away tuned them out. There was only one person he knew with true platinum hair. He stared into the depths of his fourth drink, wondering if Marik had really come back. He hadn't felt him, but drink buzzed the senses…

He got up unsteadily and paid, and then left the bar. He had to find out.

He immediately fell into some trash bags in an alley.

"My day couldn't get worse," he slurred. A shadow fell over him.

"The years haven't been good to you, then," a familiar voice said. Malik blinked, then passed out.

Marik watched Malik sleep. He wasn't much different. Hair still defying gravity, skin still dark, eyes still insane. But there was a stillness to him now. His hair was uncombed, his skin was dull, there were dark circles under his eyes. Marik felt sorry for him.

"Marik…Hikari…" Malik mumbled in his sleep. Marik's heart clenched. Malik dreamed about him. Perhaps…no. Not after all these years. Malik's eyes opened blearily, and slid to Marik.

"You're here…notta dream…" he murmured. Marik nodded silently. Malik smiled and passed out again. Marik sighed and rearranged the blankets. He had carried Malik home. The house had once been spotless; now it was a dump. Malik had been helpless without him. He got up and started to clean.

A few hours later, Malik woke up again. Marik went to him and helped him up to the shower.

"Sorry," he heard Malik say quietly.

"No problem," he replied. After Malik showered, they sat in the living room. Malik was wrapped in a blanket.

"I missed you," he said after a time. Marik arched an eyebrow.

"I can tell. Drinking?"

"All I could do to forget." Malik turned away. Marik sighed.

"Look, I should go…"

"Please don't leave again. I'll do better this time…"

Marik hesitated. Malik was looking at him again, his eyes begging and anguished. Marik knew his Yami needed him, but…

"Malik…"

"Please." Malik reached out. Marik carefully avoided the reaching hand and headed for the door. He heard something that made him stop.

"Want to be one again…two as one…" Malik was babbling back there. Marik turned to see Malik right behind him. Suddenly he was being kissed. It was only a second or two, but eternity. Then Malik was gone, in the living room again. Marik blinked and touched his lips.

"Goodbye kiss," he heard Malik say. Marik nodded, and left.

'_Cause we are one_

_And will always be_

_You were born first_

_Forever connected to me_

Owari


End file.
